Maintenance and Service of your outboard engine can be money well spent

Unless you are 100% convinced that you  know when your engine was last serviced, have it serviced as soon as you can, you set the baseline then and you will be able to judge when it will need it’s next maintenance visit.

Routine maintenance in the big scheme of things (as long as the best people are carrying out that maintenance) is quite cost effective the application of some preventive grease here and there can stop corrosion, failed parts and seized parts all of which can leave you with an expensive repair bill. No matter what, parts are relatively expensive so avoiding having to change them is by far the best approach.

If there are any doubts about how something is working (typically the cooling water flow) do not delay even a week or so extra between having the engine flushed and cleaned out can lead to a much bigger bill and worst case scenario some really expensive castings needing replacement.

Most outboard engines have a maintenance and service interval set at 1 year for convenience, this can be broken down, what you really need to do starting from spring is:-

Spring/Before first use – Remove from short term storage

End of season – Annual service and preparation for short term storage

If your engine is not going to be used for a lengthy period i.e over Winter the outboard engine should be placed in short term storage.

Storing your engine over winter – 2 Stroke engine

Storing your engine over winter – 4 Stroke engine

Small outboards are built to last and with a little TLC will be reliable and cost effective. a few simple tips will keep your engine safe and prevent unnecessary outboard engine maintenance costs.

1. Keep it greased and lubricated – A grease gun of marine grease and a can of 3 in 1 goes a long way
2. Keep it externally clean – Salt water, sand and grit are real killers, keep the engine as clean as possible just using a mild detergent mix and then hose off with fresh water will go a long way to preventing corrosion
3. Keep it internally clean – As often as practical and as soon as possible after being used in salt water Fresh water flush
4. Keep it protected – A quick rub down with scotchbrite and touch up any chipped paint with a little paint brush might not look real pretty but it will look a whole lot better than the corrosion which will grow if you don’t keep the paintwork in 1 piece
5. keep it protected – Apply external protection, polish, soft wax, water dispersant, all these products will keep your engine in as good a shape as possible for as long as possible.